Preventing Renal Injury in Lupus Nephritis via Ultrasound Therapy
Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with chronic inflammation as a life-threatening feature. While currently available immunosuppressive therapy for SLE patients result in globally adverse side effects, other therapies involving biologics that target specific immune mediators/pathways are still being tested. A novel, safe therapeutic option to combat uncontrolled inflammation in patients with SLE would provide relief and may lead to better outcomes. The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway is a neuro-immune mechanism that regulates inflammation. In this pathway, activation of the efferent vagus nerve increases splenic nerve activity and ultimately inhibits the release of inflammatory mediators from splenic immune cells; therefore, the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway may be an important therapeutic target against systemic inflammation. There are current clinical trials testing the efficacy of implantable vagal nerve stimulators in reducing pain in SLE, and pharmacologic stimulation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway may also be a viable option. However, because the safety of these therapies is unknown, alternative methods to stimulate the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway at different levels (e.g., the splenic nerve) could provide novel therapeutic alternatives. Interestingly, a recent study demonstrated that exposure to left kidney ultrasound increases splenic nerve activity due to the close proximity of the kidney, spleen and splenic nerve, and results in a reduction of immune cell infiltration in the kidneys of mice subjected to renal ischemia-reperfusion injury. Based on this provocative ultrasound study and my exciting preliminary data, we have generated an overall hypothesis that splenic nerve stimulation reduces the production and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines from splenic immune cells via the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1218485
Entities
People
- Keisa Mathis
Organizations
- University of North Texas Health Science Center